As its youth population drops, California’s Division of Juvenile Justice could cost taxpayers a record high of $317,771 per youth in FY 2017-18.

CJCJ Policy Analyst, Maureen Washburn, investigates the true costs of California’s state youth correctional system, the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) in a fact sheet published yesterday. The study finds that DJJ facilities are operating at approximately one-third of their design capacity, with their youth population at a historic low.

Despite continuous population declines and a current population of only approximately 600 youth, DJJ’s budget has grown each year since 2014-15. Now, the Governor’s Budget proposes an increase of nearly $4 million for this outdated institution.

DJJ’s cost per youth has increased annually, costing taxpayers a record high of $317,771 per youth in FY 2017-18, an increase of over $100,000 compared to FY 2012-13 when the DJJ population was 37 percent higher.

Reliance on the state juvenile justice system varies widely from county to county. Counties with high DJJ commitment rates reimburse the state for only a small portion of its expenses, causing counties with minimal or no reliance on the costly state system to disproportionately foot the bill for DJJ.

Cameo House comes together for a Reentry Community Appreciation Dinner

CJCJ's Cameo House staff helped organize a Community Appreciation Dinner for people in reentry and families with incarcerated loved ones.

CJCJ’s Cameo House recently took part in the 2nd Annual Community Appreciation Dinner for families with incarcerated loved ones and formerly incarcerated individuals. The free event, which was sponsored by the Archdiocese of San Francisco’s Restorative Justice Ministry, provided a shared space for community members to relax and connect with one another.

Current residents of Cameo House and their children attended the program altogether and enjoyed an opportunity to celebrate within the community. With free dinner, face painting, family photos, and fun prizes, the event had something to offer for each of the 200 attendees.

As an alternative sentencing program for formerly-incarcerated mothers and their children, the Cameo House community is deeply connected to the reentry community and wanted to ensure the event’s success. Cameo House staff joined with the San Francisco Adult Probation Department and community partners to organize the Community Appreciation Dinner.

Rebecca Jackson, Cameo House Program Manager and a lead volunteer for the event, says, “The time spent decorating and preparing the space was so worth it—drawing people in the reentry community together with a sense of unity and making each person feel special was priceless.”

CJCJ’s policy team highlights San Francisco drug policies and the need for effective community-based direct services to inform local leadership.

Last week, CJCJ published a new fact sheet, Racial Disparities Persist Amid Large Drug Arrest Declines in San Francisco, by CJCJ’s Senior Research Fellow, Mike Males. The fact sheet found that drug felony arrests in San Francisco declined by 92 percent since 1988, but racial disparities remain amid the massive decline. In fact, African Americans still experienced felony drug arrest rates 10 times higher than San Franciscans of other races in 2016.

CJCJ’s policy team remains rooted in our agency’s direct service programs while providing data-driven research for statewide justice reform. In meeting with Supervisors’ offices, the team served as a resource to inform community-based solutions on issues ranging from drug use to homelessness.